IMPaCT Care

Recently,?our own Janée T. took Community Health Workers (CHWs) and CHW Champions to the Hill in Nashville to advocate for Community Health Benefit inclusion in the Governor's Budget. We're hopeful that those great conversations will lead to sustainable CHW services in TN through the Budget Amendment. Thanks so much for joining, Amy Richardson and Gustavo Zuniga!

If you know an organization committed to integrating Community Health Workers (CHWs) in ways?that strengthen partnerships between health care and public health, please consider nominating them for a $30,000 Catalyst Award. Nominations close January 24: https://lnkd.in/epkS5YWT Common Health Coalition

In close partnership with Community Health Workers and their leaders representing Florida, Indiana, and Virginia, URAC has developed the first version of?CHW Program Accreditation standards?for organizations supporting CHWs in response to needs CHWs consistently advocate for.

Thank you to Milbank Memorial Fund and Morgan McDonald, MD FACP FAAP for a great discussion highlighting the phenomenal work states are doing to integrate coverage of Community Health Worker (CHW) services in Medicaid and the tools in the new CHW SPA Toolkit. Special thanks to leaders from New Mexico and South Dakota for sharing their expertise, and a huge thanks to Tennessee CHW Gustavo Zuniga for sharing his story of working with an unhoused client. As Gustavo said, “It’s preventive care that I’m giving that goes beyond the clinic into the heart.”

Every day, Community Health Workers (CHWs) create magic with clients in their communities.?We are proud to shine a spotlight on IMPaCT CHW Alton Boulware. For?Alton, becoming a CHW was not just a career choice but a profound calling rooted in a lifetime of service, empathy, and resilience. Reflecting on his path,?Alton?recalls growing up with limited resources, which taught him to appreciate life’s small blessings and fueled his commitment to helping others. From his early days facing family struggles to his time as a combat medic,?Alton?has always found meaning in supporting those around him. ? As a CHW working in the Baltimore area,?Alton?sees his work as a chance to walk alongside clients facing chronic illnesses and difficult life circumstances. He fondly recalls a client on dialysis who had lost hope of ever returning to an active lifestyle. “He hadn’t worked out in almost two years, had suffered a stroke and was managing diabetes,”?Alton?shares, “but we set a goal to get back to the track together,” he says, after connecting around a shared spiritual practice.?Alton?met him at a point when he could barely walk, yet together, they set long-term goals rooted in shared faith and resilience. “People know when you’re being authentic,” he says. “It’s about meeting them where they are, understanding their lives, and being a positive force to help them achieve their goals.” ? Alton?believes in the transformative power of connection and trust. He shares that using the IMPaCT model helps him stay laser focused on getting to know his clients as people and creating person-centered goals that often result in behavior change—such as sharing recipes, shopping for healthy ingredients together, and finding creative ways to increase physical activity that meet people where they’re at. Sometimes he even gets the occasional update from a client or their family member after graduation from the program. In the case of?Alton’s client on dialysis who had lost hope, his niece called to share how her uncle is continuing to walk the track with his wife and staying connected to his faith community ? For?Alton, being a CHW is about more than linking people to resources; it’s about being present for them through every struggle and triumph. His strong faith and ability to connect with others help him inspire his clients to believe in themselves, ultimately moving them toward healthier, happier lives.

We are excited to share a Community Health Worker #CHW State Plan Amendment (SPA) toolkit released in partnership with Milbank Memorial Fund. More states are recognizing the critical role CHWs play in serving Medicaid beneficiaries, addressing the root causes of poor health to improve outcomes and reduce costs. This toolkit makes it easy for state Medicaid programs and CHW advocates, offering ready-to-use language that can be included in a SPA or in state guidance. It was developed with guiding principles of inclusion, empowerment and evidence, and it and builds on a review of the research, existing state precedent, and input from CHWs.? Check it out!

Exciting Opportunity Alert! IMPaCT Care is on the lookout for a?Customer Success Manager! Join our mission to empower Community Health Workers by helping healthcare organizations build and enhance their Community Health Worker programs. If you thrive at building relationships, have a background in healthcare and customer success, are a skilled project manager, and want to work with a passionate team, we’d love to hear from you! Ready to change the game in healthcare? Apply today! #Hiring #IMPaCTCare #CommunityHealth #CustomerSuccess #CareerOpportunity

Today is the day that?NACHW's Annual?Meeting and Unity Conference (https://nachwunity.org/)?kicks off virtually. We are proud to share that IMPaCT is a donor level sponsor this year. Our very own Head of Community Mobilization,?Janée T., will be delivering a presentation titled: Uplifting CHWs as Executive Mentors – Shifting Dynamics and Advancing Equity on Thursday evening. Stay tuned and united CHWs!

Amid clinical workforce shortages, rising healthcare costs and ongoing concerns about inequity, IMPaCT unlocks the power of the grassroots community health workforce. We’re looking for a mission oriented and likable lawyer with HR experience who can balance risk and make sound judgements. While your expertise is in contracting and transactional law, you also have experience with litigation, intellectual property, compliance, strategic partnerships, and employment law. Strong candidates will have an obsession with operational excellence, while still maintaining the agility required in an early stage startup environment. https://lnkd.in/gvKgYVQz

Here at?IMPaCT Care, we get out of bed every day to change lives with the most effective intervention in the world for addressing health inequity. We are hiring a Community Health Worker Program Manager to support our new flagship IMPaCT Community Health Worker (CHW) program in Baltimore! If you are a great communicator, are highly-organized, and have management experience in social services or public health?- apply today! https://lnkd.in/eP3sd_4B